Isolation separates people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 from others.

Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who are awaiting test results or who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. A person can be contagious before symptoms begin so quarantine helps to prevent the virus from spreading.

Students with a vaccine exemption who may have been exposed to COVID-19 and/or have COVID-19 symptoms will quarantine in their room and coordinate with SHS for testing and follow up. Vaccinated students who may have been exposed to COVID-19 do not need to quarantine, per current CDC guidance. They do need to wear face coverings and coordinate with SHS for testing and follow up.

When a student tests positive, staff from Student Health Services or LifeBridge Health will confidentially and directly notify any student who will need to isolate due to their own positive COVID-19 test result. A member of Loyola’s contact tracing team will contact the positive student to begin the contact tracing process in order to identify their close contacts.

Yes. It is important to know that receiving a negative test result does not necessarily mean that you won’t be asked to quarantine. If you have been identified as a close contact with a confirmed positive person and you have a vaccine exemption, you will be required to self-quarantine in your current residence hall room (see requirements and exceptions of quarantine below) to protect your health and the health of others, as you may still develop COVID-19 from the identified exposure. The length of quarantine is 10 days.

Students with a vaccine exemption who are required to quarantine must abide by the following:

• Stay in your residence hall unit for a period of 10 days. Note: Students living in Butler and Hammerman will be relocated to isolation housing for their quarantine period.
• The only reason you should leave your room is to attend an appointment for health care or testing. When leaving your room, always wear a face covering, stay at least six feet away from others, and practice good hygiene. Note: Students living in Hopkins can leave their room to access the bathroom.
• Do not enter academic buildings or attend any gatherings during your quarantine period.
• Do not use public transportation, ride sharing, or taxis.
• Do not have any visitors in your room.
• If you have a roommate(s), wear your face covering as much as possible in your room and do not share items with your roommate(s).
• Keep up with your academic work. Your professors will be notified that you will not be attending classes remotely for the next 10 days, but you may want to be in touch with them yourself, too.
• Students living in on-campus housing and who are in quarantine will have the choice of having meals provided to their door each day* around lunch time. Students will need to place a customizable order at www.loyola.edu/quarantinemeals for their next day's hot lunch, boxed dinner, and breakfast for meal delivery. Allergens and dietary restrictions will be accommodated on an individual basis. *Exception: For students in Loyola housing who live at The Social, quarantine meals will only be delivered three times a week.
• If you live off-campus, please ask others to deliver food or groceries to you.
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. If you experience symptoms, contact Student Health Services at 410-617-5055 or your health care provider. Do not show up at either provider without calling in advance.
• If you experience any severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing or loss of consciousness, please call Student Health Services at 410-617-5055 or Public Safety at 410-617-5911.

All isolation housing rooms will be fully furnished with a bathroom and microwave and will be properly cleaned and disinfected and equipped with Wi-Fi and heat and air conditioning. See a comprehensive list of items in the isolation room. You will be contacted by University personnel who will share the isolation room assignment and confirm how you are getting to the space.

Each room will have a “Gift Basket and Activity Bag” along with the room key.

Yes, students have the option to isolate or quarantine at their own home if it is safe to travel home. Students going home should notify Student Health Services in order to obtain protocols for their return.

Students in isolation on campus will be cleared by Student Health Services and can end their isolation at 7:00 am on the morning of day 11. If a student has chosen to isolate at home, they will need to provide clearance documentation to Student Health Services before being granted permission to return to campus.

Students who have positive test results or who have been in close contact with an exposed individual are prohibited from using transportation options that may put them in close contact with others (i.e., public transit, ride-share or taxis/Ubers). Exceptions may be made after consultation with Student Health Services to obtain urgent medical care, but only under specific and rare circumstances, as this is not generally recommended by medical public health guidance.

If a student must enter isolation housing or needs to quarantine in their room, Loyola encourages students to inform and discuss their situation with their parents or guardians. Due to federal health and education policy laws, the University is not able to notify parents or guardians directly.

Call Student Health Services 24/7 at 410-617-5055 if a student is worried about new or worsening symptoms to speak to the physician on-call. Let them know you are in isolation on campus at Loyola, and they will help to determine next steps. If the symptoms are mild, report them when you receive a check-in call from Student Health Services. Check in calls will occur with a health care provider while in isolation. These calls will primarily be from a LifeBridge Health provider assigned to the student through our partnership.

Yes. Once students in isolation housing are recovered and/or cleared, generally on the morning of day 11, they may return to their campus residence hall room and attend their on campus classes.

The Student Health Services clearance protocols are outlined below.

Release from Isolation Procedures

• Students will be cleared by Student Health Services staff member and/or LifeBridge Health Clinician. This will likely be when the student has been fever-free without any fever-reducing medicines for at least 24 hours, it has been at least 10 days since symptoms first started, and most symptoms have improved.
• If the student did not have symptoms but was in isolation because of an asymptomatic positive COVID-19 test, the student will likely be released from isolation when 10 days have passed since the test was taken.
• Upon meeting clearance, Student Health Services will notify all appropriate Loyola partners as needed for coordinating the student’s return to their original campus housing.
• Once cleared, students can end their isolation at 7:00 am on day 11.

Yes. Students should continue to keep up with their academic work.

Yes. Professors of students who have been relocated to isolation housing will be notified by the Dean of Undergraduate Studies Office that the student will not be attending classes. The professors will not be given the reason, and no health-related information will be disclosed.

If a student needs an extension to submit any assignments, projects, tests, and exams, or requires excused absences from classes due to illness, contact the professor directly and request an extension or absence from class. If the professor requests verification in order to provide the extension or absences from class, refer them to Janice Vohrer, executive assistant, in the Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies Office, at jvohrer@loyola.edu or 410-617-5547. Students may also contact Ms. Vohrer for assistance in notifying their professors.

The Study is available for tutoring, virtual workshops or other services, contact them at 410-617-2104 or TheStudy@loyola.edu, or by IM/chat.

Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Advisor to discuss their classes and their academic pathway to graduation.

The Academic Advisement and Support Center is also available to offer guidance and support regarding the curriculum, add/drop of courses, major/minor declaration and changes, classes taken away from campus, and among others.

Students who live in Loyola housing and have received a positive COVID-19 test result will be required to isolate for at least 10 days after a positive result and at least 24 hours after recovery from any symptoms, but other factors may be taken into account such as length of time after symptom onset and resolution, as well as exposure.

The University has reserved isolation space in Ahern and Aquinas.

Students will have access to the internet to complete coursework and for necessary communications. Students must comply with all health and safety protocols, including following the CDC guidance protocols for when you are sick.

As much as possible, students will be isolated individually and not with other students. 

Loyola is committed to providing a safe and comfortable place for students who have a positive test result to remain separated from those who do not have symptoms in order to prevent the spread of the virus. The University has designated isolation housing to ensure the safety of those who need monitoring due to infection with COVID-19.

See a full list of items that will be provided in the isolation housing rooms.

See a suggested list of items to take with you to isolation housing.

Isolation housing will be cleaned and sanitized between one student moving out and another moving in.

For students in isolation, a day’s worth of meals will be delivered to the room door each day around lunch time. Students will be able to place a customizable online order for their next day’s hot lunch, boxed dinner, and breakfast. The options for dinner and breakfast include a mix of on-the-go options such as fresh home-cooked microwavable meals, sandwiches, salads, soup, sides, fruit, and more. Allergens and dietary restrictions will be accommodated on an individual basis. Students may incur additional charges depending on the meal plan they have. For more information and specifics, visit www.loyola.edu/quarantinemeals.

Each student residing in Isolation Housing will be assigned to a Case Manager, who will be communicating with students in isolation housing to check on the student’s and well-being. This check-in will occur via the students’ email, cellphone, or a Zoom meeting. If there are any issues or concerns with meals, students should contact Parkhurst Dining at 410-617-5858 or 410-599-0121. There will also be COVID Logistics Coordinators who are available to provide assistance about high-level logistical concerns, like laundry emergencies or maintenance issues. Facilities will be picking up trash outside of isolation spaces on Tuesdays and Fridays around 12:00 noon. Students should call 410-617-2200 by 11:00 am and share that they have trash to be picked up. They should put the bagged trash outside the entrance to their residential unit by 11:00 am.

Students are asked to remain in Isolation Housing throughout the length of isolation so that they do not inadvertently pass the virus to other people. Even if they feel healthy and symptom-free, they can still be (unknowingly) shedding virus during the time they are in Isolation Housing.

The Counseling Center offers resources and support for students and the Loyola community. Resources and information are listed below.  

• Undergraduate and graduate students can access support through our remote services or by calling The Counseling Center at 410-617-2273.
• Learn more about the Virtual Workshops and Support Groups currently being offered by the Counseling Center to enhance your care for yourself and others, as well as increasing connection with peers.
• Parents can review helpful parent resources for supporting your student.
• Visit our Emotional Wellness and COVID-19 page for resources related to mental health, troubling feelings, self-care, and more.
• Additional relaxation/mindfulness and crisis resources are available.